IT was difficult to tell how many people were at the Mountain Winery on opening night last Tuesday to see the Goo Goo Dolls, vs. how many were there for the venue itself. The more expensive the seats, the more leisurely people seemed to be getting to them.
It was odd, but understandable considering what a unique place the Mountain Winery is. The architecture is eye-catching. The view of the Silicon Valley is breathtaking. And of course, there’s plenty of expensive wine to be had.
It was an ideal venue for a band like the Goo Goo Dolls, whose music fits the amphitheater setting, but whose performance benefits from the fact that the place is small enough to actually see the band play. They’re known for their soft ballads like “Iris,” more so than their harder rock songs, even though a majority of their set kicking off the Mountain Winery 2010 season were the heavier, faster kind. They mixed old and new material into their sold-out show, demonstrating that their strongest asset is their ability to blend gorgeous vocal harmonies with some impressive guitar playing, in both ballad and hard rock songs alike.
At one point, lead singer John Rzenik, obviously impressed with the Mountain Winery and perhaps momentarily fooled into thinking that all of the South Bay is just as idyllic, had to stop to comment on it.
“This is much nicer than where we live, Los Angeles,” he said. The audience booed at the mere mention of L.A., which was funny considering that San Jose is in some ways just as urban. But it’s easy to forget that you live in the smog and traffic of Silicon Valley when you’re up above it all in Saratoga.
The Dolls were just the beginning of a summer season that stretches into October and includes more than 60 headlining acts in almost as many dates.
For rock fans, it’s like a Grape Tub Time Machine at Mountain Winery this year, with the ’80s coming back in a big way. Pat Benatar had the crowd on their feet at her show last summer. She’s back, headlining with REO Speedwagon (July 27), joined by fellow ’80s icons Ziggy Marley (July 15), Kenny Loggins (July 29), Squeeze with the English Beat (July 30), Michael McDonald with Chaka Khan (July 31), the Fabulous Thunderbirds (who open for Los Lonely Boys Aug. 6), Blondie and the B-52s (Aug. 10), Huey Lewis and the News (Aug. 11), Billy Idol (Aug. 16), Cyndi Lauper (Aug. 17), Crowded House (Aug. 24), Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 26), Chris Isaak (Aug. 27-28), Foreigner (Sept. 23), Hall and Oates (Sept. 27) and Cheap Trick (who close the season on Oct. 8).
For those who want to go even more retro than that, there’s Diana Ross (June 12), Yes with Peter Frampton (July 11), Smokey Robinson (July 16), the Beach Boys (July 18), Ringo Starr (Aug. 3), Styx (Aug. 8), Hippiefest with Jack Bruce and many others (Sug. 20), Earth, Wind and Fire (Aug. 31) and the Doobie Brothers (Sept. 11).
If the ’80s seems too far back, the season also includes Imogen Heap (June 18), Erykah Badu (June 19), Black Crowes (June 30), Avett Brothers (July 1), Gipsy Kings (July 10), Barenaked Ladies (July 19), Natalie Merchant (Aug. 9), Rob Thomas (Aug. 15), the Pixies’ Black Francis (Aug. 19), Rufus and Martha Wainwright (Aug. 23) and Sheryl Crow (Sept. 14-15).
For country, blues and roots music, there’ s Merle Haggard with Kris Kristofferson (June 16), Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers (June 22-23), Brandi Carlile (June 26), the Dixie Chicks’ side project Court Yard Hounds (July 9), Lyle Lovett (July 22), Martina McBride (July 26), John Legend (Aug. 1), Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin (Aug. 5), Lucinda Williams and Robert Earl Keen (Aug. 18), B.B. King and Buddy Guy (Aug. 22), John Hiatt and Los Lobos (Aug. 22), Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion (Aug. 25) and Willie Nelson (Sept. 22).
Last but not least, the Mountain Winery has been an increasingly good spot for comedy over the last couple of years, too. This season, there’s more than ever, with Aziz Ansari (July 23), Chelsea Handler (Aug. 7), Ron White (Aug. 14), Craig Ferguson (Sept. 10), Margaret Cho (Sept. 25) and Wanda Sykes (Oct. 2).q
Mountain Winery
Diana Ross
Saturday, 7:30pm
$49.50–$149.50
